Category Archives: Seasonal

Let’s admit it up front – we’ve all given Dad an ugly tie for Father’s Day and expected him to actually wear it. If you want this year to stand out in Dad’s mind, here are a few ideas to get you started and ways to celebrate Father’s Day in Nanaimo.

Father’s Day in Nanaimo

Sporting event.

If Dad has a favorite baseball team, or soccer, or hockey team, get him tickets to go see them. If it means going out of town for a weekend, that’s even better and your Dad is sure to love getting out to see a game.

Ride for Dad.

The annual Motor Cycle Ride for Dad takes place on June 17, 2017. Starting in Nanaimo at 7:30 a.m, the day includes a scenic ride to Cumberland, lunch, prizes, poker and more. This ride is to raise awareness of prostate cancer, so it’s not just a fun event to take part it, but it also raises money to support this terrific cause. Go to www.Ridefordad.ca for more information about how you can join in.

Taste of Nanaimo.

This tour around Nanaimo is designed to showcase some amazing local food, estate winery and craft beverages. Dad can spend the afternoon sampling and discover which local treasures he loves the most. More information can be found at www.nanaimo.ca.

Monster Trucks.

Saratoga Racing in Black Creek, north of Courtenay is open every Saturday and Sunday from 12 – 4 p.m. Race around the track in a go-kart, or take a ride in a monster truck. All equipment is supplied, so you just need to bring Dad. Spend the day hanging out at the track and then treat Dad to dinner on the way home. www.saratogaracing.ca can give you more information and pricing.

Landscaping.

Generally it’s Dad who mows the lawn and does the heavy lifting in the yard. To give him a break this Father’s Day, think about hiring a gardening company to come out and take care of business. You can have a one-time service, or spring for a few services to free up Dad to spend more time with the family.

Whatever you decide would be the best gift for Dad this year, he’ll appreciate the thought and consideration you put into choosing the perfect item.

If you or someone you know is looking for a new home, or wants to sell the one they’re in, call RE/MAX of Nanaimo today at (250) 751-1223 and one of our agents will be happy to help.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

May is a time for celebrating the start of the warmer, sunnier season on Vancouver Island. It’s also a time to celebrate Mom’s and show your Mom you appreciate her. This includes Step-mom’s, honorary Mom’s and any woman who plays a “Mom” role to someone else’s kids.

So what can you do to show them your love and appreciation on Mother’s Day? Here are a few ideas that are sure to make the “mom” in your life smile.

Show your mom you appreciate her.

Plant their favorite tree, shrub or plant in the garden. Every time she looks at it, she’ll think of you and remember what you mean to each other. If there are young kids at home, have them decorate or paint some colorful plant pots that Mom can use in the garden or around the house. They’ll be a unique, one-of-a-kind gift that she can use over and over again.

Hire a landscaper or house cleaner to come to her house for “spring cleanup”. The gardening service can tidy up the planters, pull weeds, cut the grass, prune the trees and any other jobs that typically take place this time of year. A house cleaner can do the jobs you know Mom likes the least – cleaning the blinds and windows, organizing the garage, cleaning out the closets.

Plan a family barbecue at Mom’s house. Get the whole family on board to hang out at Mom’s for the day, grilling burgers or steaks (or whatever Mom’s favorite bbq food is), relaxing and catching up on life. If everyone pitches in a bit, Mom won’t have to lift a finger and can spend the day enjoying her family.

Buy Mom a spa day if she likes that kind of thing. Or get her a gift card to her favorite craft store. Whatever her favorite hobby is, get her something related to that and she’ll know you put time, thought and effort into your Mother’s Day gift.

Mother’s really do make the world a happier place so show them you love and appreciate them, in your own special way.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

While it’s easy to give your home a great look during the summer months when the flowers are in bloom, it’s more difficult to make a home look great during the cold, darker winter months. Here, we’ll take a look at a few things you can do to improve your curb appeal for your home during winter.

Improve your curb appeal

Clean up the landscaping

Prune the bushes and shrubs so that windows are visible. This lets as much daylight as possible into the home and the shrubs appear neat and well kept. Remove old flowers and weeds from the flower beds. This not only looks neater, but you won’t be faced with this task in the spring when it’s time to plant new flowers.

Sweep up leaves and shovel snow

Not only does this make the home look better, it’s also a safety issue. Guests don’t want to slip and slide their way to your front door, and in most municipalities, you’re required by law to clear the sidewalks of snow and ice. Make sure you do the driveway as well and then throw down some sand, salt or ice melt for good measure. Lastly, while you’re shoveling the snow, take a look at the eaves and gutters and knock off any icicles that may have formed.

Turn on this outside lights

Bright lighting is important in winter not just for visibility, but because it makes the home appear warm and welcoming. It is especially important to make sure the garage and porch lights are on if potential buyers are coming to view the property. During the Christmas season, have a few festive lights on the house, trees or shrubs to add even more warmth but be careful you don’t go overboard.

Put away the non-essentials

If you have kids toys, empty plant pots or lawn furniture in the yard, put them away for the winter. If you’re not using them during the winter months, it’s easy to store them away in the shed, garage or basement until spring arrives. It cleans up the appearance and if your yard is not large, it can give the appearance of more space.

Winter isn’t a bad time to sell your home and with these few simple tips, you can improve the appearance of your curb appeal in the winter, with very little cost and effort.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

Fall is here and it’ll be cooler before you know it. So what do you need to do to get your home ready for winter? Here are four key things for winterizing your home and to prepare it for the winter season!

Winterizing your home

Make sure the furnace and gas fireplaces are ready to go. The best way to do this is to have a professional company service the units. They’ll replace filters, if necessary, and make sure there are no other obvious problems. If anything is wrong, they can fix it now, before the temperature drops too much. You don’t want to be the one whose furnace gives out on the coldest day of the year!

Clean out the gutters and downspouts when the leaves have finished falling. Plugged up gutters and downspouts cause all sorts of problems if they overflow. Fascia or soffit damage, landscaping erosion, and roof leaks can all be avoided as long as you keep the gutters and downspouts clear. Check them at least twice a year (more if you have a lot of trees) and don’t forget the elbows and joints because these are prime spots for clogs.

Blow out the irrigation/sprinkler system. If you have an underground sprinkler system, you need to blow out the water lines and shut off the water to avoid frozen lines. Pipes can crack or burst when they thaw, which can then damage your home or garden. Pay a professional to do this properly and you’ll be assured you won’t have pipe bursts in the spring.

Make sure you have Ice-Melt, Sand or Salt on hand for the sidewalk and driveway. The sidewalk can get slippery from frost or ice even if it doesn’t snow, so it’s important to be prepared. Sprinkling the sidewalk with one of the noted products only takes a couple of minutes but can save a whole lot of aggravation later. You don’t want someone to slip and fall because you’ve forgotten to take care of this.

In Nanaimo, Bylaw 5000 requires that sidewalks be cleared by the homeowners within 24 hours of the snowfall. For more information, call the City of Nanaimo at (250) 758-222 or go their website at www.Nanaimo.ca, click on Departments and go to Engineering & Public Works. You can follow the links from there.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

How can scaling down on consumerism can help simplify your life? Can it actually get you into a smaller home? Perhaps it’s time to do some fall cleaning and scaling back on consumerism.

Fall cleaning

Consumerism is, very simply, our inclination toward buying and owning a lot of “things”. By scaling back on consumerism, we are less controlled by the things we own and are better able to live life without added stress.

Simplifying spaces

We don’t have to pay for storage units because we have so many possessions. We don’t have the added financial burden of paying a bigger mortgage on a larger home, not to mention the extra utility costs, extra insurance costs for all our possessions and extra property taxes.

Scaling down and getting into a smaller home not only reduces the financial obligations you face, but lowers the stress associated with it.

The time and money we put into managing all our stuff can be significant. A bigger house means more time spent cleaning, more time for maintenance and repairs, and less time for enjoying your life and your family. Scaling back on consumerism gives you the opportunity to really experience the things you want to experience – a quick trip somewhere fun, going to the kids after school activities or sporting events or lazing away a sunny day with friends and a bbq.

Space planning

Smaller homes can be just as tasteful, cozy, relaxing or beautiful as a larger home. Planning the space, deciding which piece of furniture makes the most of the living room, or laying out your bedroom furniture in the most attractive way ensures you’ll enjoy the smaller home just as much. Let the kids plan their bedrooms – how it will look and what to put where, so they’re comfortable right from the start. If they can make the space their own, they’ll adjust to a smaller space before you know it.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

Nanaimo is a wonderful city full of events, activities, festivals and so much more. If you don’t plan on leaving town this summer but want to feel like you’ve had a vacation, why not try some activities or go to some events you might not normally attend. Here are a few events happening in Nanaimo this summer for those of you planning your staycation.

Planning your staycation

Silly Boat Regatta. This event takes place July 17 at Maffeo Sutton Park. Celebrating its 32nd anniversary this year, the event started in 1984 with about 5 teams. This year, there will be nearly 50 teams and it’s expected to draw around 10,000 spectators and participants. Boat building kicks off at 8 a.m. with races starting at 1 p.m. In addition to boat building, there’ll be music, performers and fun family activities. Sponsored by Coast Capital Savings and the Nanaimo Child Development Centre.

Concert in the Park series. July 6, 13, 20 and 27 at the Bowen Park Amphitheatre and August 3, 17, 24 and 31 at Maffeo Sutton Park. Each concert goes from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and features a different entertainer each week. You’ll find everything from children’s entertainers, to pop/folk music, classic and soft rock and even the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra. For more details, go to nanaimo.ca or call (250) 756-5200.

The 2ND Annual Nanaimo BBQ Festival takes place August 13 and 14 in the downtown area. Get out and enjoy the incredible BBQ cook off featuring up to about 35 contestants or take part in the rib eating contest. There’s live entertainment, a family fun zone and outdoor vendors providing food and drinks.

Vancouver Island Exhibition (VIEX) is happening August 19 to 21 at the Beban Park Fairgrounds. Grab the kids and enjoy the amusements, 4H petting farm, music and more.

Parksville Sand Sculpting Competition. This event takes place from July 15 to August 21. It’s just a short drive up the road at the Parksville Community Park. You can watch the carving starting at 2 p.m on July 15. Judging takes place on Sunday, July 17 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The winner will be announced at about 5:30. The sandcastles will be open for viewing until August 21 so you can enjoy them any time your schedule allows.

The City of Nanaimo has a full events calendar on their website with many more activities and events scheduled. Go to www.nanaimo.ca and find the ones that suit your family best.

If you are planning a move this summer, give one of our RE/MAX of Nanaimo REALTORS® a call today at (250) 751-1223 and ask how they can help!

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

Summer is a busy time anywhere, but especially in our own harbour city. Kids are out of school, the sun is shining (most of the time) and everyone is ready to have some fun. Listed below are some fun, upcoming summer events in Nanaimo for the whole family to enjoy.

The Bathtub Races are a main event in Nanaimo, with large historical importance for the city. The Marine Festival and Bathtub Races occur in July, and are a local spectacle to behold. The street fair occurs at the same time, closing the traffic on Commercial Street for a parade, music and more fun activities.

The 2016 Nanaimo DragonBoat Festival will be held from July 8-10. This major event includes more than 80 teams and attracts around 30,000 people. Go out to cheer on the teams and also help support the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation.

Vancouver Island Exhibition

Starting in the late summer on August 19th at Beban Park fairgrounds, this exhibition draws crowds of people from all over Vancouver Island to celebrate Nanaimo’s annual agricultural fair with carnival rides, games, music and the anticipated livestock exhibition.

Blues Festival

This music festival happens in August in Maffeo Sutton Park, and highlights musical talent from across Canada and the U.S.

Farmers’ Market

There are many farmers’ markets across Vancouver Island, but the one closest to Nanaimo is the Bastion Waterfront Market, open May to October on Fridays from 2-6 p.m. Take off an afternoon to browse for fresh local produce, food and artistic crafts.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

It has been said that individuals and communities who value generosity live a much more fulfilling life. It has even been proven that volunteering will improve your overall health. There are many benefits received by giving, whether it’s giving your time or other resources. Do you have personal reasons to give this holiday season?

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.

You may have just immigrated and landed on the shores of Canada right here in the beautiful city of Nanaimo. The season of fall is here and shown by the changing leaves and abundance of stylish scarves pulled from the closet. There are celebrations that come with this particular season such as Halloween. Halloween you say? Whether you have immigrated or celebrate Halloween annually, read on to learn more about Halloween in Canada.

Kenneth Ikuenobe is a focused and analytical person currently undertaking a graduate program in Business Administration. A highly dedicated and goal-oriented individual seeking for opportunities in the financial service industry. He has a strong desire to contribute his skills and experience in improving organizational systems and platforms.

Kenneth is a very curious person striving each day to learn and assimilate as much as he can to become the best he possibly can be.

Well it’s that time of year again when school is wrapping up, families are making plans for their summer vacations, and here at RE/MAX Of Nanaimo we are working on showing our clients in the community how much we appreciate them. That’s right – RE/MAX Of Nanaimo’s annual Customer Appreciation extravaganza is Saturday June 13, 2015*.

From RE/MAX of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings, to the market-dominating business it is today, the company continues to grow and adapt to suit client and agent needs. Some things, however, never change. Our commitment to service, ethics, and continual education means that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Nanaimo’s top real estate professionals, while our REALTORS® benefit from a working environment that supports their professional and personal growth.